How old is the ALVIN? 60 years? She and the Trieste were deep-water subs when I was wee. The Sub to visit Titanic was crushed after a few years, and the ALVIN still keeps diving and observing and collecting. We don’t even know all of the species on this planet yet!
So yes, you are correct, Alvin was commissioned in 1964 and it is astonishingly still being used. Over the years it has undergone a series of upgrades, the most recent of which, if I'm reading up-to-date info, was performed in 2021. Truly, it is a marvel of engineering prowess.
This reminds me of the time I was in Baltimore for a company celebratory drunkfest and, being horribly hung-over visiting the aquarium; looking at all the pretty fishes and saying “They are all smarter than I am”.
Okay, I feel I have to offer a cautionary word. Never begin a good story with a more fascinating story. It’s true that now since I’ve chased the little critter to Google, read the AI synopsis, and scanned your substack, I’ve gone to Woods Hole’s page. When I finish, and hopefully I don’t get further distracted by something on their page, I probably won’t have the time to return to Trump losing another war. Off to exercise. Trump, unfortunately, will still be there after my workout.
Wondering how much of our incoherent and terrifying domestic & foreign policy during Trump, the Revenge Tour, has been "Natalie" taking the wheel on Trump's media accounts, which are now policy statements. What a sad time to be an American.
Poor Natalie. I suspect there's not much left of her inside. I hope she can recover without harming herself even more. We need to be kind to her (not to trumpy).
Monday, 9a.m. toot: “The Radical Left Democrats are going CRAZY with Fake Polls,” Trump [or Natalie] wrote. “They’re putting them out at levels never seen before.” A YouGov/Economist poll released last week that sought to break down his net approval rating on a state-by-state basis, with brutal conclusions.
The Economist found Trump had a negative approval rating among “adult citizens” everywhere but in Idaho (+9), West Virginia (+6) and Wyoming (+14).
Everywhere else, including in some critical swing states, it’s a bloodbath: In Georgia, Trump’s approval rating stands at -31, according to the Economist’s numbers. It’s -25 in North Carolina, -23 in Arizona, -27 in Nevada, -27 in Michigan, -26 in Pennsylvania, and -28 in Wisconsin. All of those states except for North Carolina voted for Trump in 2024 after voting for Joe Biden in 2020. (North Carolina narrowly voted for Trump in 2020.)
It’s slightly more rosy for Trump if you only count 2024 voters. That smaller pool of respondents shows Trump’s approval is negative in “only” 39 states — but he’s flailing in all the aforementioned swing states. [HuffPost]
I'm assuming Eric's conversation with Natalie concerned whether or not it was appropriate for Eric to get the tingles in his swimsuit area when he's around his new future mom.
"An out-of-control wildfire that jumped over fire trucks and made it difficult for crews to reach hot spots destroyed homes in northwest Reno, Nevada, on Sunday. Shifting winds challenged firefighters trying to bring it under control, and authorities urged some 90,000 people to evacuate."
Even though I live 240 miles south or Reno, I get my TV channels from there. The Hawk fire has dominated the news the last two nights and the video clips of it are terrifying, so close to civilization. If the wind clocks 180°, a lot of homes will be lost.
First, just the idea that MichaelWhatley drives a pickup and wears flannel seems… amusing. But far less surprising when you find out it’s all just a prop.
"Shelley Fabares dies at 82. Her biggest break came when she was cast as Mary Stone on “The Donna Reed Show.” In the late 1970s, Fabares made an impression as Francine Webster on the CBS sitcom “One Day at a Time.” One of her biggest roles came when she was cast as Christine Armstrong in “Coach." She had two Top 40 hits in the early '60s including No. 1 “Johnny Angel” and "Johnny Loves Me." She was married to “M-A-S-H” actor Mike Farrell since 1984. She was the niece of actress Nanette Fabray." https://www.huffpost.com/entry/shelley-fabares-dead-obituary_n_6a8b8c3fe4b0eeae412ac8b3?origin=home-whats-happening-unit
It wasn't JUST the French language stuff that led to the talks breaking down. Trump wanted Canada to agree to language that would hinder our ability to sign trade deals with other countries. AND, he is burping up a bunch of nonsense about "tariffs on American farmers" which is all stuff that HE ALREADY AGREED TO WHEN HE SIGNED CUSMA.
American gets to export a bunch of dairy at a nominal tariff. If they want to blow through that agreed to limit, the tariffs are jacked up to higher levels. Because we don't want to be the dumping ground for all the shit that you can't sell elsewhere, and which are subsidized out the wazoo by the American government to drive down the price. So, exactly the same treatment that he hates about China ... but we're supposed to be fine with him doing it to us.
That's where the line "...the Trump Administration's signature is written in pencil" comes from.
Replying to myself to add further clarity to the "hinder our ability on other trade deals" language.
They didn't say "you can't sign trade deals with other countries". What they said was "if you have a trade deal with country X, and WE put tariffs on them, you also have to put those exact same tariffs on them NO MATTER WHAT YOUR EXISTING TRADE DEAL SAYS".
So basically they were trying to make us behave as untrustworthy as America (as currently personified by the Petty Petty Princess maladministration". Yeah, no thank you. We make a deal, we abide by it. Because WE don't have a stick up our fat ass about needing to "win" every deal or stiff the other guy.
And honestly, underneath all the bluster and "surrender your sovreinity" BS there IS an actual issue. They were worried that we'd become some kind of 3rd party shipping depot that would somehow allow countries to get around tariffs by saying "those aren't Chinese knockoffs, they come from Canada". But there are so many better ways to do it than what they tried at the last minute.
So now, they have nothing. And the American consumer gets hosed with either higher prices or artificial scarcity. And American businesses built on taking raw materials from Canada and turning them into consumer ready goods (looking at you Texas oil refineries) are hooped because they can't switch supply chains or factory configurations on a dime.
As someone who routinely has to deal with Quebec, we've already got all the stuff in place to handle it. You just have localization in software that translates shit to French automatically, and make sure that any images or icons don't have words directly on them.
It’s another otherworldly underwater creature in your hed gif: https://martiniambassador.substack.com/p/backwards-upside-down-and-in-shells
And here is a meme chat for you: https://open.substack.com/chat/posts/0508ace5-d1a7-4c94-9dba-aa87b161deb7?utm_source=share
Michael Phelps, without his humanoid-mimicking swimming skinsuit.
They dance backwards -- and with eels!
Nicely done!
Wild. Beautiful.
It looks like a merfairy! Or a fairy in a long, elegant gown and wearing a diving hemet made of an air bubble.
Very much enjoyed this H. R. Geiger version of "Swan Lake."
Also, I wonder how it tastes.
Possibly lethal. As in all plant are edible, but some only once.
Is animal.
When Bathyopsurus nybelini
Swam up to show its grace
The upside down ballet dance
Brought a grin to my dour face.
It makes up in motion
What it lacks in body form
Upside down and backward
Sets a new intriguing norm.
How do they even manage to swim forwards with all those delicate appendages up front?
With style, my friend, with style
How old is the ALVIN? 60 years? She and the Trieste were deep-water subs when I was wee. The Sub to visit Titanic was crushed after a few years, and the ALVIN still keeps diving and observing and collecting. We don’t even know all of the species on this planet yet!
So yes, you are correct, Alvin was commissioned in 1964 and it is astonishingly still being used. Over the years it has undergone a series of upgrades, the most recent of which, if I'm reading up-to-date info, was performed in 2021. Truly, it is a marvel of engineering prowess.
https://www.whoi.edu/what-we-do/explore/underwater-vehicles/hov-alvin/
I think the pressure hull is the only original piece left
The ALVIN was built according to woke government regulations so it can cheat.
You can't cheat Mother Nature ... or physics.
Nightmare fuel from the deep.
A Bathyopsurus? That's what he said.
Mmmmmmm…now I want shrimp.
Still smarter than a MAGAt. (Yes, yes, amazing and beautiful.)
Edit. Not-so-quick take: Wow. 2.4 miles! And fast food delivery that deep. Just WOW!
This reminds me of the time I was in Baltimore for a company celebratory drunkfest and, being horribly hung-over visiting the aquarium; looking at all the pretty fishes and saying “They are all smarter than I am”.
LOL. Now, presumably with your head no longer hurting. ;-)
Waiter, what is this Bathyopsurus nybelini doing in my soup?
The backstroke, sir.
(Overheard at the Marianas Deep Red Lobster )
Still smarter than a MAGAt. (Yes, yes, amazing and beautiful.)
Second take: Fast food delivery delivery 2.4 miles straight down. Wow. (Substack seems slow this AM, and I am Impatient. So duplicate.)
Okay, I feel I have to offer a cautionary word. Never begin a good story with a more fascinating story. It’s true that now since I’ve chased the little critter to Google, read the AI synopsis, and scanned your substack, I’ve gone to Woods Hole’s page. When I finish, and hopefully I don’t get further distracted by something on their page, I probably won’t have the time to return to Trump losing another war. Off to exercise. Trump, unfortunately, will still be there after my workout.
TTFN
Ever since we learned that Natalie is the social media typist, I think of her suggesting every single thing posted under Trump on his platform.
Trump didn't want a trade deal. He can't make any money that way.
Wondering how much of our incoherent and terrifying domestic & foreign policy during Trump, the Revenge Tour, has been "Natalie" taking the wheel on Trump's media accounts, which are now policy statements. What a sad time to be an American.
Poor Natalie. I suspect there's not much left of her inside. I hope she can recover without harming herself even more. We need to be kind to her (not to trumpy).
3rd grader me would have loved to have gotten my hands on a circular saw in class.
“If there is one time for the new members of Congress to roar, it is in denying Hakeem Jeffries that gavel.”
Do It! Meeting with Jarvanka is a bridge too fucking far!
Monday, 9a.m. toot: “The Radical Left Democrats are going CRAZY with Fake Polls,” Trump [or Natalie] wrote. “They’re putting them out at levels never seen before.” A YouGov/Economist poll released last week that sought to break down his net approval rating on a state-by-state basis, with brutal conclusions.
The Economist found Trump had a negative approval rating among “adult citizens” everywhere but in Idaho (+9), West Virginia (+6) and Wyoming (+14).
Everywhere else, including in some critical swing states, it’s a bloodbath: In Georgia, Trump’s approval rating stands at -31, according to the Economist’s numbers. It’s -25 in North Carolina, -23 in Arizona, -27 in Nevada, -27 in Michigan, -26 in Pennsylvania, and -28 in Wisconsin. All of those states except for North Carolina voted for Trump in 2024 after voting for Joe Biden in 2020. (North Carolina narrowly voted for Trump in 2020.)
It’s slightly more rosy for Trump if you only count 2024 voters. That smaller pool of respondents shows Trump’s approval is negative in “only” 39 states — but he’s flailing in all the aforementioned swing states. [HuffPost]
New nickname for Natalie Harp from Reddit: "Eva Brawndo" - because she's Eva Braun on steroids.
I'm assuming Eric's conversation with Natalie concerned whether or not it was appropriate for Eric to get the tingles in his swimsuit area when he's around his new future mom.
AP: Fast-moving wildfire amid shifting winds threatens Reno, Nevada, forcing thousands to evacuate
"An out-of-control wildfire that jumped over fire trucks and made it difficult for crews to reach hot spots destroyed homes in northwest Reno, Nevada, on Sunday. Shifting winds challenged firefighters trying to bring it under control, and authorities urged some 90,000 people to evacuate."
- https://apnews.com/article/hawk-fire-reno-nevada-evacuations-aae2f4b77e2d4aa5678b365a2ee377e6
It's now 6PM, 80 miles north and west of Reno. As of 2:00 (new update in an hour) total of 45,000 mandatory evac, 40,000 'be ready to go.'
The fire was human caused but still under investigation.
The wind is up (nice for me, not nice for fire suppression).
Even though I live 240 miles south or Reno, I get my TV channels from there. The Hawk fire has dominated the news the last two nights and the video clips of it are terrifying, so close to civilization. If the wind clocks 180°, a lot of homes will be lost.
At least we got Oz to admit the MMR won’t kill you.
Ironic thing is that Oz might…
Here’s a tab that I didn’t have on my bingo card:
https://popularinformation.substack.com/p/gop-senate-candidate-campaigning
First, just the idea that MichaelWhatley drives a pickup and wears flannel seems… amusing. But far less surprising when you find out it’s all just a prop.
"Shelley Fabares dies at 82. Her biggest break came when she was cast as Mary Stone on “The Donna Reed Show.” In the late 1970s, Fabares made an impression as Francine Webster on the CBS sitcom “One Day at a Time.” One of her biggest roles came when she was cast as Christine Armstrong in “Coach." She had two Top 40 hits in the early '60s including No. 1 “Johnny Angel” and "Johnny Loves Me." She was married to “M-A-S-H” actor Mike Farrell since 1984. She was the niece of actress Nanette Fabray." https://www.huffpost.com/entry/shelley-fabares-dead-obituary_n_6a8b8c3fe4b0eeae412ac8b3?origin=home-whats-happening-unit
I always had a crush on her, and never knew she married Mike Farrell! I must've been in denial.
Same.
Natalie was there
Natalie is always there.
It wasn't JUST the French language stuff that led to the talks breaking down. Trump wanted Canada to agree to language that would hinder our ability to sign trade deals with other countries. AND, he is burping up a bunch of nonsense about "tariffs on American farmers" which is all stuff that HE ALREADY AGREED TO WHEN HE SIGNED CUSMA.
American gets to export a bunch of dairy at a nominal tariff. If they want to blow through that agreed to limit, the tariffs are jacked up to higher levels. Because we don't want to be the dumping ground for all the shit that you can't sell elsewhere, and which are subsidized out the wazoo by the American government to drive down the price. So, exactly the same treatment that he hates about China ... but we're supposed to be fine with him doing it to us.
That's where the line "...the Trump Administration's signature is written in pencil" comes from.
Replying to myself to add further clarity to the "hinder our ability on other trade deals" language.
They didn't say "you can't sign trade deals with other countries". What they said was "if you have a trade deal with country X, and WE put tariffs on them, you also have to put those exact same tariffs on them NO MATTER WHAT YOUR EXISTING TRADE DEAL SAYS".
So basically they were trying to make us behave as untrustworthy as America (as currently personified by the Petty Petty Princess maladministration". Yeah, no thank you. We make a deal, we abide by it. Because WE don't have a stick up our fat ass about needing to "win" every deal or stiff the other guy.
And honestly, underneath all the bluster and "surrender your sovreinity" BS there IS an actual issue. They were worried that we'd become some kind of 3rd party shipping depot that would somehow allow countries to get around tariffs by saying "those aren't Chinese knockoffs, they come from Canada". But there are so many better ways to do it than what they tried at the last minute.
So now, they have nothing. And the American consumer gets hosed with either higher prices or artificial scarcity. And American businesses built on taking raw materials from Canada and turning them into consumer ready goods (looking at you Texas oil refineries) are hooped because they can't switch supply chains or factory configurations on a dime.
Elect a businessman they said…
Well, they COULD have elected a competent business man, but noooooo. Hadda go with the reality TV idiot.
As someone who routinely has to deal with Quebec, we've already got all the stuff in place to handle it. You just have localization in software that translates shit to French automatically, and make sure that any images or icons don't have words directly on them.
Indeed. They're just being pissy because we do something that is for "others" and that is verbotten in right wing dogma